Thursday, August 2, 2012

Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Education and the Federal Communications Commission announced a blueprint to get all schools using digital textbooks in five years. While not mandated, the initiative encouraged schools to make the switch from print to digital materials based on estimated cost-savings and academic improvement—because print textbooks are expensive and digital content can be more personalized. But there are questions as to whether digital textbooks are actually cheaper, especially when factoring in the cost of the devices needed to deliver them, and whether digital content too closely resembles its print counterpart. Given the various devices, publishers, and content formats that have emerged in the education market, school districts are moving toward their digital goals in many different ways. Our guests will discuss their approaches to using digital content and the benefits, challenges, costs, and savings driving their strategy.

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About Me

I formerly had primary responsibilities for Collection Development, Instruction, and Reference and Research Services in Chemical and Biological Engineering; Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering; Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering; and Mechanical Engineering; Alternative Energy; Environment Sciences with the Library of Iowa State University. I was employed from April 1987 to July 2014.
Prior to joining ISU, I served as the Museum Librarian at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Pittsburgh, and as an Assistant Librarian with the Library of the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx, my hometown.
I received my Master of Science degree in Library Science from the University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign in 1975, and my undergraduate degree in Anthropology from Lehman College of the City University of New York, The Bronx.